"Bible” presented to Abigail Gates by Thadeus Betts her Father February 1819 (Images), authored 2018

"Bible” presented to Abigail Gates by Thadeus Betts her Father February 1819 (Images), authored 2018

As I rather fuzzily recall I came into possession of the photograph via Al Covell or Bob Gates.   I may be able to clarify that later. According to image properties it was shot with a Nikon June 27, 2007, 2.9 MB. If you had asked me I would have said I had it earlier, as in by 1999. Perhaps I was told about it – good reason you should keep a journal – you can count on your memory failing you.   I have another document in this blog that discusses or rather "questions" the bible in depth, "Thaddeus Betts Bible Chronology" authored in 1999.

I do recall as provided the information from the bible, before I saw the image, it did not occur to me that the entries might not be contemporaneous, nor written by the grantor or grantee.  Some probably were but some of the entries might also have constructed in hindsight. I have decomposed the image and minorly attempted to enhance the “script”.  You can extract the images for your own entertainment.

I have lifted the following text from the above mentioned “Chronology”, which incidently makes it obvious I had text in 1999 but the image came later –

A Bible titled the "Life of Jesus Christ" is presented to Abigail (Betts) Gates by Thaddeus Betts, her Father, in February of 1819 (or 17). Abigail gives the Bible to her daughter Augusta. Hiram B. Gates receives the Bible from his Mother (Augusta) in 1841. Elmer Gates reports that this Bible is currently in Florida (email 1/23/99) and was/is in the possession of Ted Gates. Elmer Gates has further provided photcopies of the inscriptions of the Betts Bible which suggests that Hiram B. is the son of Augusta (2/24/99)? Elmer recieved photocopies in 1995 from Ted Gates.

As Transcribed by Elmer Gates - email to WmAGates 2/25/1999, edited.

Presented to Abigail Gates by Thaddeus Betts her Father February 1817.

Abigail Gates to her daughter Augusta.

Hiram B. Gates - Book presented to him by his Mother, Augusta.

Presented to Harriet Jackson by Hiram Gates her Father in December, 1859.

Presented to Dan J. Gates by Harriet Jackson, his sister, 1898.

Presented by Dan J. Gates to his son, Leon John Gates, 1915 - (died 1925).

Leon John Gates to Eleanor Gates Roberts, his daughter.

Eleanor Gates Roberts to Fay R. Gates, his Cousin. July 27, 1958.

Fay R. Gates to Edward J. Gates, his son. Jan.'77.

I now have one major question with the transcript and the text. Abigail does not have a daughter “Augusta”.  I believe this is an example of a later addition of the event at an unknown time. Abigail has a daughter “Angeline” who I will document more thoroughly later. Not the only one.  Angeline was Hiram's sister.  At the time Elmer presented this transcript I was unfamiliar with Hiram B Gates's genealogy (and have not reviewed it now) so I assumed this Hiram was a grandson not a son of Abigail.

Miscellaneous

I need to find images of Birmingham Cemetery and identify them clearly … I want Abigail's birth date and age … will lead the most positive evidence I have for her birth date.

Ted R. work …. ROOD, Abigail d. 31 Jly 1845 a. 80y 3m 9d w/o Caleb @Birm. Matches 22 Apr 1765.

I need to look at Al Covell's GEDCOM and see if "Augusta" can be clarified.